(More) Joys of Summer Vacation
by LadyPharaoh
Summary: Last year's vacation was a bliss, that much the royal families could agree on. Despite all the stress and work ahead, they tried their best to find some time to repeat this time of year. Even if it was the only time off that they could get. And even then, some of the eldest couldn't shake off the sense of duty. At least, Camilla would attempt to help her poor husband out with that.


As you might be able to tell, this is some sort of a continuation from my other short fic "Joys of Summer Vacation"!  
Mostly because Camilla did get added into that summer event in Fire Emblem: Heroes like I had hoped would happen a year ago... But our Lobster Prince hasn't joined, yet, so I tried to make up another story around him missing this time!

Have fun with this little story and see you around!

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Being unable to unwind from the everyday routine was becoming of utmost importance. A lot had to be rebuilt in their kingdoms still, so high stress was something that they had gotten used to over time.

But whenever their families could take their time to enjoy the summer, one could almost believe that all these worries were far behind. The bright sun that warms their skin, the wild waters that cool them off and leave a layer of salt behind. How the sand feels underneath their feet and the breeze caressing their frames.

Everything else was so far away, only them and their joy.

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Yet, it would be a lie if they said that it was easy to leave duties behind.

For some more than others.

The youngest sisters were running and swimming around all day while their brothers didn't try to show their enjoyment as much. The eldest found themselves conflicted often, so much so that they weren't always present on the beach.

Camilla swayed the rest of her drink in her glass as she leaned back in her beach chair. Her feet tapped the sand, she took a sip from her drink and would look back every once in a while.

Xander, sitting beside her, couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Of course, he would notice her irritation despite her best efforts to not wander off in a matter of seconds. It was as if Camilla had hoped that her temper would cool off while being under the parasol.

"I don't know how long meditation takes for Ryoma, but you seem to", he said with a smile.

Camilla clicked her tongue and shrugged. She tried to look unaffected by his words and played with a lock of her hair.

"I have an idea of it, yes. But I can't track time here and neither can my dear husband..."

Another frown from her side which she tried to shake off as quickly as possible. Not that she wanted to be angry with him, but he did tend to forget about himself.

Her brother tried not to snort at her reaction. Instead, his gaze wandered over the beach. Elise chased Takumi down with what looked like a handful of sand and seaweed. He wasn't sure if the prince was acting distress, he wasn't easy to read, but his little sister didn't seem to care.

"I know that you want to check up on him", Xander said and patted her shoulder. "Nobody will notice you taking some time alone."

"Didn't think that I'd ever hear that from you", Camilla chuckled and her brother ended up blushing a bit. He waved her off and leaned back some more. The princess emptied her glass and placed it down before getting up on her feet. "Well, I won't know until I ask, uh? Watch out for our darling siblings, will you?"

"You know that no one can save them from themselves."

To be fair, Camilla couldn't blame him. All of them could be little troublemakers, aside from Sakura. Thus, she patted his shoulder with a smile before taking off along the beach. Her beloved wandered off rather far to be surrounded by silence to help him focus and relax.

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Far from everyone, this location seemed even more dreamlike. When all one could hear was the waves, it almost felt lonely. The rock formations were getting larger the further Camilla wandered. It didn't take too long to find Ryoma, though he was hard to miss with that mane which was tamed by being bound to a ponytail. As expected, he was on the sand, cross-legged as he kept his frame upright. He didn't even seem to notice her approaching at first, too focused on his meditation.

For a second, Camilla contemplated leaving him be.

It was one of the rare sights where Ryoma wasn't tense or stressed. Of course, meditation was yet another part of training for him.

Yet, their families were on vacation for a reason. Which was why Camilla didn't turn on her heels and took place by his side. Only when she knelt down, he flinched and glanced to his side. When seeing who had joined him, his tension weakened. A bit of a frown was upon his brow, but the other showed him a warm smile.

"Darling dear, you've been gone for so long, I was worried", Camilla cooed as she leaned in his side.

Ryoma did not bulge, though she did see how his hands, which were placed over his knees, tensed a bit. Camilla laughed behind her hand and nuzzled close.

"You know where I went and what for."

Her husband tried to sound unaffected as one of her hands caressed his shoulder and neck. Soon enough, he let out a bit of a sigh and he placed an arm around her hip. For a while, they sat like this together as they watched the waves in the distance. Their eyes were filled with these sounds and a lonely cry of a seagull resounded somewhere near.

Camilla couldn't say what was on his mind right now, but she hoped that it wasn't worry right then. His thoughts were so often with the future of Hoshido that it would grind on his health more than enough.

That was what this vacation was for, right?

To just enjoy life for once?

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"I didn't mean to worry you."

"You always do, dearest."

Despite his grumble, Camilla pressed a kiss to his cheek while her hand drew circles on his shoulder. Nothing in her voice indicated that she was actually mad at him. These times weren't made to get upset over. After all, she knew of his habits.

"I just... Can't let you down." His grip tightened a bit, but he wouldn't want to look away from the ocean. "Everyone relies on my actions and... I can't risk to be weak at anytime."

"Ryoma, Hoshido won't fall if you take time for yourself for once", replied Camilla and underlined these words with another kiss to his temple. "Besides, I have seen you take on hordes of Faceless on your own... I don't think that you're getting rusty anytime soon."

Her husband turned his eyes away from the waters, finally a bit of a smile on his lips. One hand stroked back her loose strands of hair, then he pressed a kiss to her forehead at which she giggled.

"You can't say that for sure, dear."

"Oh? Are you doubting my word?"

Ryoma chuckled at that and shook his head. It wasn't wise to tell her that she was wrong as she did trust him like that. Camilla couldn't say what the future would hold for them, but she had no doubts in him after all. Not that it stopped him from blushing a bit realizing that much.

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But if there was any other lingering thought in his mind, Camilla would want to make sure that those were gone.

Thus, she placed both of her hands on his cheeks and made him turn so that he had to look at her. His cheeks lightened up some more, but he wouldn't dare protest. Camilla pulled him close to seal those lips, lingering in the kiss just because she could and he returned the affection with the same intensity. With a little more difficulty than she'd admit, she pulled away by an inch or so, smiling against his lips again. Her thumbs caressed his cheeks while his arms embraced her to keep her close. His bare skin was against hers and she could feel his warm muscles shift with every movement.

"My dearest, you are the strongest warrior I have ever known. There is nothing that will ever tear you down", she whispered, her voice low enough only for him to hear, "And if someone ever dares to pluck one hair from your lion's mane... I am there to lay vengeance on them and they will know my wrath."

She could feel how Ryoma tensed up, he held his breath and his blush never faded. Without being able to say a word, he was the one to cup her cheeks next and pulled her into a kiss, heated and aggressive almost. A low sound escaped her as she clung to his shoulders, leaning against his broad frame. Ryoma, however, gently pushed her down to lay in the sand. Camilla opened her arms to welcome him between them and he followed in an instant to be swept away further by the ever growing warmth.

"When do the others expect us back?", he chuckled between one kiss and another.

Camilla let her hands wander up and down his back, appreciating his form towering above her. She hummed upon feeling his lips against her neck and a warm shudder left her trembling.

"Well...", she began with her grin growing and one leg curled around his hip, "I guess, we can take some private time to ourselves..."

Ryoma returned the smirk and peppered more kisses on her neck, his lips tasting every patch on their way down while his hands caressed her curves.

"I'll take you up on that offer then."

"That's what I wanted to hear, darling."

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Summer had a certain magic to itself with all the heat and sunshine upon them all. Worries melted away and joy bloomed in their hearts, the waters swept away the nightmares for a while. In such stressful times, moments like these needed to be cherished and shared.

And sometimes, people needed to be reminded of such. To accept happiness and love as it fueled their will to keep on going. Letting themselves fall into a swirl of feeling, unafraid of the vulnerability as they laid their hearts bare.

Oh, and what a wonderful feeling that was, to be safe and appreciated.

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"I love you so very much..."

A kiss here, a loving caress there. Warm sounds parting their lips as the couple searched for one another.

"I love you, too... More than I can understand."

And wasn't that beautiful in its very own right? Nobody could understand how these feelings could bloom and what depths they had. An age old question to discuss between the wisest of men, to fill countless books.

Not that the couple pondered on this and preferred to understand through feeling and touch instead.

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(Excuse the ugly line breaks... I have no idea how to do this on this site and it feels so broken)

Originally, I had thought that I would make two versions, one with smut and one without.  
But then, honestly, I figured that it might be better to just have it fade out and let everyone imagine the rest, uh?

And don't forget to stay hydrated everyone!


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